Improvement in machines for sinking screw-piles



waited tatet @sind @inline WILLIAM SOOY SMITH AND WILLIAM REUSCHEL, OIIVOHICAGO, ILLINOIS;

i SAID REUSGHEL A'SSIGNS HIS RIGHT TO SAID SMITH.

Letters Patent No. 111,092, dated' January 17, 1871.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR SINKING SCREW-PILES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part. of th'e same.

Z'o all whom 'it may concern.-

Be it known that we, WILLIAM S001' SMrrn andl WILLIAM RnUsoHEL, of Chicago, in thecounty ot Cool; and State of Illinois, have inveuteifa new and Improved Machine for Sinking Screw-Piles; and we do h ereby de'clare that the following is a'full, clear, and 'exact description thereof', which will enable others lskillediu the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification.

' This invention relates to improvements in machines for-turning screw-piles for sinking themr -into the earth, and consists in an arrangement, with the .hub ofthe wheel or other device used for turning tho shaft'of the pile to screw it down, of friction-rollershorizontal section oi' the same.

Similar let-ters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

AV represents a frame, which may beereeted on a scew, float, or other' support, according to the nature of the work, whether ou land or water, said frame being for holding the shaftfof the pile in nu upright `position; also for-supporting the operating'parts.

Bi is the shaft of the screw-pile, which rises np through the bearings C and D, which are suitably supported iu the cross-bars E F. Y

Gis the clamp for att-aching 4tolthe pile-shaft for imparting the rotary motion to it. The said clamp consists of twof'strong metal plates n, with groovesibr the receptionof the shaft between them, which plates areelamped against the shaft by bolts b, so as to holdit by friction; but for more permanent] y holding it we propose 'to apply holding-pawls D to the said clamp, with shalp ends, which will engage the surfaeeof the 'shaft and prevent the clamp ii'om slipping, and, as a further means'ofiusnring the holding of these pawls, set-screws e may be arranged, as shown, to screw against the pawls at the points, and force them into the shaft. As ina-ny of them may be used as found best.

II is the wheel for turning the-clamp. The hub is made broad and hollow, so that the'olamp may 4work up and down through it freely, as shown, and

it is provided with the hollow vertical ribs I, one on each side, as shown, for the application of the friction-wheels K in such a way that, as the Awheel is turned, these wheels will come iu contact with the clamp and be the means of communicating the power applied to the wheel, to the clamp and the shaft, which,

being turned thereby and screwed 4into the. ground, wil-l more downward, together with'the clamp, along the wheels with but little friction.`

The wliecl H is provided with wormsL, or it may be any other -suitable means for turning it, or, instead of the wheel, a sweeper long lever may be employed, said sweep having a hn'b arranged as here shown or in ,any equivalent way, and provided with-the frictionwlieels.

The hub of this wheel terminates at the bottom in the bearing O for the shaft, and rests ou and extends into the cross-bar E, as shown, but -it may be arranged iu any equivalent way for the support of wheel H.

The clamp isdm'ade in suitable length to correspond with the depth of the hub, and is intended tobe raised on the shaft from time to time as it is i carried down by it, being loosened therefrom previous to rising, and to facilitate the raising the cords M,

with counterveights JN, are applied to it, as shown,

the said cords being arranged on rollers suspended from the frameabove so as to rotate with the shaft. Heretofore it Vhas been customary to plane keygrooves 'in lthe shafts of these screw-piles,y and employ wheels or levers with splines or keys iu the hubs4 through which the shafts were passed for imparting the rotary motion to them, but the great friction of the keys 'and hubs on the shafts, due to the enormous force required to turn the screw, is a serious obstacle to the successful sinking of the piles, being sometimes so great that it overcomes the draft of theserews in soft ground, and they cannot thereby be sunk, and, besides this, the labor and cost of planing the grooves are material object-ions, all of which are avoided by our improved plan.`

Having thus described our invention,

IVe ela-im as new and desire. to secure by Letters Patent-' 1. rlhe combination, with the hub of the wheel or other .turning device, of the friction-rollers K and a clamp, G, when arranged for action on the shafts of screw-piles, substantially as specied.

2. The combination, with the ,clamp G, of the weighted cords M, substantially as specified.

" WM. SOOY SMITH. f WM. REUSUHEL.

Witnesses:

FRANK S. BALCH, N. H. OOLLON. 

